MLB Player News

Snell could begin the season on the injured list due to lingering shoulder issues, Jack Harris of the California Post reports.

Snell missed most of the first four months of last season with left shoulder inflammation. He pitched well down the stretch of the regular season and in the first three rounds of the playoffs before stumbling in the World Series. Snell remains hopeful of being ready for Opening Day, and if he does require an IL stint it seems it would be more about preserving him over the long haul rather than the southpaw actually being injured. The Dodgers are likely to deploy a six-man rotation again and have the depth to slow-play Snell, if that's the route they decide to take.

Cardinals president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom said Tuesday that the team has not made a decision as to whether Cijntje will be a switch-pitcher moving forward or focus on throwing right-handed, Brenden Schaeffer of STL Sports Central reports.

The Mariners had said prior to trading Cijntje to the Cardinals on Monday that the hurler would throw only right-handed in spring training games. Bloom noted that while he thinks the course the Mariners were going to take with Cijntje was "a good one," he wants to get to know the pitcher first before making any determinations. Cijntje collected a 3.99 ERA and 120:51 K:BB over 108.1 innings between High-A Everett and Double-A Arkansas in 2025 and will likely begin his stint in the Cardinals organization at Double-A Springfield.

The Cardinals acquired Cijntje from the Mariners on Monday as part of a three-team trade involving the Rays, Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports.

St. Louis also receives Tai Peete, Colton Ledbetter and a compensatory draft pick. Brendan Donovan is going to Seattle and Ben Williamson is headed to Tampa Bay as part of the deal. A first-round pick in the 2024 Draft, Cijntje held a 3.99 ERA and 120:51 K:BB over 108.1 innings between High-A Everett and Double-A Arkansas in 2025. The Mariners said over the weekend that Cijntje -- who has been a switch pitcher -- would focus on throwing right-handed in spring training. It's unclear whether the Cardinals will also have the same plan or have Cijntje continue switch pitching.

Waldrep could begin the season at Triple-A Gwinnett, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.

Waldrep seemingly did enough last season to be locked into Atlanta's rotation, posting a 2.88 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 55:22 K:BB over 56.1 innings covering nine starts and one extended relief outing. However, several other of the team's rotation candidates cannot be optioned to the minors, while Waldrep can, so the 23-year-old could be a roster casualty as Atlanta seeks to retain depth. Bowman writes that while Waldrep might wind up being the most valuable of the current fifth-starter candidates by the end of the season, if he becomes a "lasting part" of the rotation early on, "then something disastrous will have already happened." Atlanta has Chris Sale and Spencer Strider locked into rotation spots, with Spencer Schwellenbach (elbow), Reynaldo Lopez (shoulder) and Grant Holmes (elbow) expected to fill the other slots, if healthy. Bryce Elder, Joey Wentz, Martin Perez (shoulder) and Waldrep are among the club's depth starters, and Waldrep is the only one in the group that has minor-league options remaining. Atlanta also remains in the market for additional rotation help, which could push Waldrep farther down the pecking order.

Atlanta signed Perez (shoulder) to a minor-league contract Friday, Aram Leighton of JustBaseball.com reports.

Elbow and shoulder woes limited Perez to just 56 innings in 2025 with the White Sox, but he pitched well when on the bump, collecting a 3.54 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 44:22 K:BB. It's unclear whether the shoulder strain that ended his season will affect his readiness for the start of spring training. There isn't room for Perez in Atlanta's rotation when everyone is healthy, but Spencer Schwellenbach (elbow), Grant Holmes (elbow) and Reynaldo Lopez (shoulder) all ended the 2025 campaign on IL.

Snell has ramped up slowly this winter in an effort to recover from his postseason workload, Jack Harris of the New York Post reports.

Snell acknowledged that he was exhausted following the Dodgers' postseason run, during which he made five starts and a relief appearance after tossing 61.1 innings during the regular season. He hopes to be ready for Opening Day, but both he and the team have acknowledged the importance of exercising patience as he builds back up. Los Angeles is expected to handle its pitching staff cautiously overall, and it has enough rotation depth to do so -- particularly early in the campaign.

The Marlins have extended Snelling an invitation to big-league camp during spring training.

It was a bit surprising Snelling wasn't called up late last season, given that he finished with a 1.27 ERA and 81:17 K:BB over 63.2 innings after being promoted to Triple-A Jacksonville. He does, however, have a good chance to break camp in the major-league rotation after the Marlins traded away Edward Cabrera and Ryan Weathers. Snelling -- who was acquired from the Padres at the 2024 trade deadline in a deal that sent Tanner Scott to San Diego -- finished with a 2.51 ERA and 166:39 K:BB in 136 frames covering 25 starts between Double-A Pensacola and Jacksonville in 2025.

The Marlins have extended White an invitation to big-league camp during spring training.

White is only 21 years old and has made just two starts at the Triple-A level, so he's likely to begin the 2026 season back in the minors as he continues working on his control. That said, the lefty is one of the most exciting young pitching prospects in baseball and has a good chance to debut at some point during the upcoming season. White collected a 2.31 ERA with a whopping 145 strikeouts (and 51 walks) over 89.2 innings across three minor-league stops in 2025.

The Cardinals have extended Henderson an invitation to big-league camp during spring training.

A 6-foot-2, 180-pound southpaw, Henderson has logged an ERA below 3.00 at Single-A, High-A and Double-A since getting drafted in the eighth round in 2023. Last year, he had a 2.59 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and 134:51 K:BB in 132 innings across 25 starts at Double-A. His fastball sits in the 92-94 mph range and plays up due to its late life. His sweeper and changeup are strong offerings, and while he may not have a plus pitch in his arsenal, Henderson has what it takes to turn a lineup over multiple times. In 2025, he allowed a .600 OPS against righties and a .558 OPS against lefties. He isn't on the 40-man roster, but Henderson could make his big-league debut in 2026 if he handles Triple-A the same way he has every other level in pro ball.

Cardinals president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom indicated during the team's recent Winter Warm-Up fan event that it's uncertain whether Dobbins (knee) will pitch in spring training games, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.

Dobbins needed surgery to repair a torn right ACL in July. He's been throwing all offseason, but the Cardinals could still choose to slow-play their offseason trade acquisition. If healthy, Dobbins will compete for a spot in the St. Louis rotation, but he does have minor-league options remaining and could also be stashed on the injured list for a while. More clarity on Dobbins' timetable should be available once spring training gets underway.